The width of text in PipeDream is controlled by columns. Each column has its own width and a right margin associated with it which determines the width of text formatted in that column. In the initial PipeDream document, the right margins are set so that text typed into any column will wrap onto the next line when it reaches the right-hand side of the document layout. You can change the width of any column. You can move the right margin for a group of columns in the document. You can also set the right margin independently for any column in the document.
Position the caret in the column. The column’s top border is shown in a different colour to let you know which column you are in.
The right margin for that column is shown by the down-arrow right margin marker in the top border. Initially, all columns wrap at the right-hand side of the document layout. You can see this by pressing the Tab key to move the caret from column to column. In each case, the right margin marker is at the right-hand side of the document layout.
Menu | Command | Tool | Key | Cmd-sequence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Layout | Move margin right | LMR | ||
Move margin left | LML |
All columns between the column containing the caret and the new right margin will now wrap at the new right margin marker position.
There are two ways to do this:
As the right margin marker moves, the column width is displayed in the mark block box.
Menu | Command | Tool | Key | Cmd-sequence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Layout | Set right margin | H |
Alternatively, you can alter the right margin of a different column by typing the column letter in the Specify column range input field of the dialogue box.
There are two ways to do this:
The column width is displayed in the mark block box as you drag the border.
Menu | Command | Tool | Key | Cmd-sequence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Layout | Set column width | W |
When you click the Return↵, the column will be redisplayed with the new width.
button or pressAlternatively, you can alter the width of a specified column (i.e. not the one you are in) by typing in the column letter. You can specify a range of columns whose width you want to alter. If you type C E, for example, columns C, D and E will have the new width you specify. To specify a range of columns, you only need to type in the first and last columns. All columns between will be included in the range.
Note that if you change the width of a column to zero, the column is not displayed at all, although the data in it is not affected. This is useful if you want a column of intermediate calculations which you do not want to be displayed or printed.
You can link several columns together so that they share the same right margin.
This sets the right margin to be the end of the last linked column, so that the linked columns share the right margin of the rightmost column. The right margin marker changes colour to show that it cannot be changed in the normal manner. If you change the width of any of the linked columns, the right margin marker moves accordingly.
You can instruct PipeDream to set the width of each column in a block to that necessary for the widest entry in that column. Proceed as follows:
Menu | Command | Tool | Key | Cmd-sequence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Layout | Auto width | LAW |
Each column will be displayed with the width set to that necessary for the widest entry in that column. This command is particularly useful for spreadsheet work in which it is often the case that many columns are too wide. It is also helpful when you get % signs in cells to show that your columns are not wide enough for the contents to be displayed. All you have to do is mark the block then give the Auto Width command to ensure that each column is the correct width. Note that in carrying out the Auto Width command, PipeDream ignores text cells which have nothing to the right of them to ensure that headings can overlap other columns.
For information on | See |
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PipeDream’s column structure | Tutorial |